These are some of the most common questions we receive. Do you have something that needs an answer that is not on this list? Give us a call on 01455 245740 and we’ll be able to help you out with your query.
When professionals talk about replacing hearing aids every four to five years they are actually talking about the cycle of technology change in the hearing aid world. While hearing aid brands introduce new technology on a two-yearly basis, those updates are incremental changes. The real jump in innovation tends to happen every four to five years.
Adjusting to hearing aids varies from person to person and depends upon how long you waited to treat your hearing loss as well as its severity. Your ears collect noise from the environment you are in, but it’s actually our brain that translates it into recognisable sound.
If you think you have a hearing loss, the first thing you need to do is book a Hearing Test at your local branch. The cause may be a build-up of wax or an infection that has temporarily affected your hearing, in which case one of our hearing aid audiologist can advise you on the best course of action.
Hearing impairment affects many people at different stages of their lives. 58% of people over 60 years of age have some degree of hearing loss, rising to over 73% of people by the time they reach 70 and 94% of people 81 years and older. This shows that if your hearing is deteriorating it isn’t unusual at all. Hearing loss can affect your quality of life and it’s never too late to do something about it, so if you have any concerns book an appointment for a FREE hearing test and talk to one of our fully qualified hearing aid audiologists who will be happy to help.
An audiogram is a graph used by our audiologists, which plots the quietest level that you can hear at each frequency tested. This is your hearing threshold. In a hearing test, the Audiologist will test your hearing at a range of frequencies from 250Hz to 8000Hz. These are listed along the base of the chart, on the horizontal axis. The loudness of the sound is listed up the side of the graph, on the vertical axis. The loudness will be between -10dBHL, which is extremely quiet, and 120dBHL, which is extremely loud.
Water Syringing: Ear wax removal by irrigation is a direct replacement for the old-fashioned technique of ear syringing. It is a far safer and more effective method of ear cleaning than syringing ever was. It uses an ear irrigation machine to remove ear wax with a carefully controlled flow of water. The machine gently pumps water into the ear canal at a controlled and steady rate through a specially designed nozzle. The water simply washes the ear wax away. Not everyone is suitable for people with a perforated eardrum.
Hearing loss can be temporary or permanent. It often comes on gradually as you get older, but it can sometimes happen suddenly. Hearing loss can be due to several factors such as the ageing process, exposure to loud noise, medications, infections, head or ear trauma, congenital (birth) or genetic factors, diseases, as well as a number of other causes. Hearing loss often occurs gradually throughout a lifetime.
The results of your hearing test are plotted on a chart called an audiogram. Loudness is plotted from top to bottom. The top of the graph is very quiet and the bottom of the graph is very loud. Frequency, or pitch, from low to high, is plotted from left to right. Hearing level (HL) is measured in decibels (dB) and is described in general categories. The general hearing loss categories used by most hearing professionals are as follows:
There are three main types of hearing loss and each can be caused by different factors and require different hearing aid technology and features to have the best listening experience. The three types of hearing loss include: Sensorineural hearing loss, Conductive hearing loss and mixed hearing loss.
Tinnitus is a very common disorder over the world. It is often referred to as “ringing in the ears,” although some people hear hissing, roaring, whistling, buzzing or clicking. Tinnitus is not actually a disease, but a symptom of another underlying condition of the ear, auditory nerve or other influencing factor. Tinnitus can be intermittent or constant, with single or multiple tones. The perceived volume can range from very soft to extremely loud and may be recurrent or constant. If you would like more information on how to deal with tinnitus, please feel free to contact us!
Earwax, also known by the medical term cerumen, is a gray, orange, red or yellowish waxy substance secreted in the ear canal of humans and other mammals. … Earwax consists of dead skin cells, hair, and the secretions of cerumen by the ceruminous and sebaceous glands of the outer ear canal.
In short, yes, earwax can cause hearing loss. But it doesn’t occur as commonly as one might think. In fact, very few patients who are seen by hearing healthcare professionals have hearing loss that is literally due to excessive earwax (cerumen impaction).
The appearance of earwax varies from light yellow to dark brown. Darker colours don’t necessarily indicate that there’s a blockage.
Signs of earwax buildup include: sudden or partial hearing loss, which is usually temporary tinnitus, which is a ringing or buzzing in the ear, a feeling of fullness in the ear, earache.
Unremoved earwax buildup can lead to infection. Contact a specialist if you experience the symptoms of infection, such as severe pain in your ear,pain in your ear that doesn’t subside,drainage from your ear,fever,coughing,persistent hearing loss, an odor coming from your ear or dizziness
Your earwax says a lot about you
There are two primary types of earwax — wet and dry. Even the colour of your cerumen can say a lot about you. Dark brown or black coloured earwax is typically older, so its colour comes from the dirt and bacteria it has trapped Light brown, orange or yellow earwax is healthy and normal
Earwax blockage can often be prevented by avoiding the use of cotton-tipped swabs or Q-tips and other objects that push the wax deeper into the ear canal.
Microsuction is an ear wax removal technique which is safe, comfortable and pain-free. It involves the use of a binocular microscope which provides a clear and magnified view of the ear canal. With such a clear view, a fine low-pressure suction device can be used to remove any ear wax obstructions safely.
Some people are prone to produce too much earwax. … In fact, the most common cause of earwax blockage is at-home removal. Using cotton swabs, bobby pins, or other objects in your ear canal can also push wax deeper, creating a blockage. You’re also more likely to have wax buildup if you frequently use earphones.
Audiologists have the training and the skill to use special medical tools to remove wax from your ear. If you have an impaction, then they can scoop it right out with these special tools. … Even if your earwax is not fully impacted, audiologists can remove it if too much has built up inside your ear canal.
Tinnitus can sometimes go away on its own, but it depends on what is causing it in the first place. If tinnitus is caused by medication or excessive ear wax, then it should fade when the medication is stopped or the wax is removed. … Other times, the ear will heal and the sound will fade until it is gone.
The water keeps the outer ear moist, which results in an infection. Your ear may feel like it’s still underwater, and the infection can cause smelly earwax.
Most complain that people mumble or talk too fast. Hearing loss is often accompanied by tinnitus. A buildup of earwax, medication, exposure to loud sounds and hearing loss can all cause ringing in the ears, or tinnitus. The ringing might be constant or occasional, but it is often the first sign of hearing loss.
Hearing loss can have many different causes. … Sudden hearing loss in 1 ear may be due to earwax, an ear infection, a perforated (burst) eardrum or Ménière’s disease. Sudden hearing loss in both ears may be due to damage from a very loud noise, or taking certain medicines that can affect hearing.
Ear pain may be caused by an ear injury, inflammation, or infection. The most common cause of ear pain is an ear infection, such as otitis media or otitis externa. Otitis media is an infection of the middle ear, while otitis externa is an infection of the ear canal.Use of cotton swabs in the ear can cause ear pain also.
About 6 out of 100 people accumulate excess ear wax. … Other reasons for the excessive accumulation of ear wax include: Lack of ear wax and sloughed skin migration: Can be the result of the normal ageing process; can also be caused by inappropriate ear wax removal methods.
Put two or three drops of olive oil in the opening of your ear canal and gentle massage. We advise you do this at least 3 days prior to your appointment.
We say earwax is impacted when it has built up in the ear canal to such a point that there may be signs something is not quite right. It is important to note, for most people, ears might never need cleaning – they are designed to clean themselves. Earwax buildup and blockages often happen when people use items like cotton buds or bobby pins to try clean their ears. This only pushes the earwax farther into the ears and can cause injury to the ear.
Endoscopic Earwax Removal: Endoscopic ear wax removal is performed with the help of an endoscope. The endoscope is used to view the ear canal and ear wax while it is being removed with implements like an ear hook, or gentle suction using a medical suction pump. The endoscope gives an excellent field of vision and is portable.
Microsuction: Modern methods of ear wax removal are far easier than the ear syringing of old, they are safer and far more comfortable. Microsuction earwax removal is performed using a microscope which allows us to see what we are doing, and a medical suction device to suck out the wax. It is recognised as one of the most comfortable and safe procedures for earwax removal. The procedure is suitable for everyone.
Vertigo is is actually sever and chronic dizziness, so no, earwax removal shouldn’t cause vertigo, however, earwax removal by irrigation may cause some dizziness. Sometimes when water is introduced to the ear canal it can cause dizziness, particularly if the water is cold.
In dry ears, earwax itself becomes dry and hard, when you try to remove it, the harden wax often pulls tissue of the ear canal. This can cause sore even bleeding ears. As long as there isn’t a profuse or continuous bleeding associated with hearing loss there isn’t anything to worry about it.
If you have been using an olive oil spray to soften the wax prior to your appointment, the procedure shouldn’t take any longer than 30 minutes.
This is method is known as Microsucton. Microsuction is the removal of wax, debris using a small suction tube and a fine suction end.
The traditional way is with irrigation, after softening, with a metal hand held syringe. A safer method is an electric oral jet irrigator (with special ear irrigator tip), which provides better water pressure control and more precise water jet direction